


Things will never be how they used to.

by HazelNeedsSomeHelp



Category: Borderlands (Video Games)
Genre: M/M, Post BL3, also yeah so this is angsty, i just love angst, obvs not canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-18
Updated: 2021-01-18
Packaged: 2021-03-16 22:13:45
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 984
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28838349
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HazelNeedsSomeHelp/pseuds/HazelNeedsSomeHelp
Summary: Things have changed a lot since Vaughn and Rhys last saw each other, now Rhys is a CEO and Vaughn is a (failed) bandit king. Can they mend the bridge between them, or are they doomed to stay separate?
Relationships: Rhys/Vaughn (Borderlands) (implied)
Kudos: 3





	Things will never be how they used to.

Things will never be how they used to.

Vaughn stared in awe at the planet below him. From up in Rhys' office in the Atlas headquarters, he could see a mass amount of Promethea's shining cities. He put a hand against the glass, but quickly flinched and pulled it back, frowning at the dirt he had smeared on it's cleanly perfection. Rhys was behind him, sitting at his desk, quietly working. 

Vaughn knew he was busy with work a lot, being the CEO was difficult, but he had hoped his old friend would spare a moment more to talk. Rhys promised tomorrow, he would put down the work and the two could hang out all day. Apparently half of the Atlas forces have teamed up with construction crews to rebuild what was lost during the Maliwan war, and Lazy River Land was already almost finished, spare the front gates. Rhys could get them in for free, and they could spend hours there, then run off to some other attraction on Promethea.

"The entire planet is ours, Vaughn", Rhys had said. "We can go anywhere. We don't even have to stay on Promethea."

Vaughn kicked himself for briefly thinking of Helios. Both of them had hated the ship, but Vaughn still almost missed it. Maybe it was the structured environment-- he didn't have to worry about where his next meal (or enemy) was coming from, not like he did on Pandora. Or maybe it was because everything was simpler then. Go to work, come home, pass out on the couch, wake up, repeat. Vaughn and Rhys followed that schedule for years, sparing only the occasional time where they'd fall asleep in a bed together, because it was movie night, and movies are best viewed when cuddled together in bed. 

Vaughn turned away from the window, disgusted with himself. He missed the old days. He missed being an accountant, he missed working with Rhys. Hell, he missed Rhys, the old Rhys, the one who was trying his best to make the world his and Vaughn's oyster. But now? Rhys has moved on. Sure, he still cares about the bandit, otherwise he wouldn't have invited him here (or at least, that's what Vaughn has been telling himself) but why didn't Rhys take Vaughn with him? The Helios Hellions were fine without him, Vaughn was even planning for who would take over after he left for Promethea. But he never left. 

Rhys had promised they would never part, and maybe in the end, here, they are together, but for so long, Vaughn's been left behind. It made him angry, it made him sad. All of his dreams were with Rhys, and he was left behind. He enjoyed his bandit life on Pandora, and didn't want to return to some corporate bullshit like Rhys did, but he still yearned for Promethea. 

"Your flight back is on Sunday, right?" Rhys asked, breaking Vaughn from his thoughts again. The CEO looked back, and for a moment, Vaughn thought he saw the old Rhys. 

He blinked and it was gone. "Oh, uh, no, I don't know. I hadn't worried about it, I was too busy thinking about tomorrow."

Rhys nodded, Vaughn couldn't read the emotions-- assuming there were any-- on his face. "We should get to work on that, your clan is probably missing you."

"Clan?" Vaughn's mind blanked for a moment. 

"The, what are they called again, Sun Crushers?"

Oh. "The Sun Smashers." Rhys doesn't know they're all dead, slaughtered by the Calypso's. Vaughn hadn't told him, he didn't know how to bring it up without crying.

He had already cried enough that weekend, anyways. Seeing Rhys in person for the first time in years, it nearly broke him. What did break him, though, was how Rhys didn't cry. He barely even smiled. A small chuckle and a no-effort hug, a "hey, how's it hanging", and then they were off to the Atlas HQ. 

Rhys turned back to his desk, typing away at his keyboard again. ''There's a flight on Monday, that's the earliest I can find. I hope that's okay with you?''

He spoke like he had never met Vaughn. Like the bandit was just some customer that Rhys had to play nice with, all polite, no emotion. 

''Vaughn?'' Rhys asked, turning slightly, but not enough to look at him.

''Oh, yeah, yeah, that works. That's fine.'' Vaughn coughed awkwardly to clear his throat. He didn't have to, but felt like he needed it.

''You sure? I don't know how your clan will feel about it.''

''They'll survive.'' Ouch. Vaughn could feel himself physically flinch at his poor choice of words. Rhys didn't see it, though, because he wasn't looking. 

Vaughn sighed and wandered off, sitting down in one of the big chairs off to the side. This office was... Everything the two had ever dreamed of. They spent nights planning and working, designing the perfect office for themselves. They would share it, of course, and have two desks. 

There... Were two desks, in this office. Off to the far end of the room, was a small desk. It was neat and nice and not a speck of dust touched it, yet it was obvious it was never used. Vaughn got up and crossed the room, looking the set up over. The chair was nice, an old Atlas model Vaughn loved, before the company originally went under. The pencil cup held pens decorated in Vaughn's favorite colors and designs. And a small placard on the desk, which was turned so it would face away from the CEO, unreadable by Rhys, was shining in gold. He turned it, and it read ''Vaughn: Vice CEO Of Atlas''.

Vaughn smiled fondly. Maybe... Maybe Rhys was still like the old Rhys, just a little more grown up. And maybe, Vaughn should tell Rhys about everything, and ask if he can stay here. On Promethea.


End file.
